Choosing Quality Chinchillas

Whether you're adding to your breeding herd or simply looking for a pet,
quality should be at the top of your priority list. Buying only quality
chins helps to improve the gene pool should you choose to breed, and helps
to discourage irresponsible breeding by not supporting those who breed for
'the quick buck' rather than to improve the species.

Health

Health is of utmost importance. You want your chinchilla to come from a
well maintained, clean environment. A constant smell of ammonia in the air
is a good indicator that cages aren't clean - that's the buildup of urine
in the bedding. This is hard on the chinchilla respiratory system as well
as bad for the fur. Eyes should be clear of debris or discharge and bright.
Nose should be clean and dry. Stools should be formed and hard, not sticking
to anything in the cage. A chinchilla should be active and alert, particularly
in the evening hours.

Genetic diseases should not be present in the lines at all. These include
malocclusion, fur chewing and any other condition determined to be genetic,
such as heart disease. Be sure to ask about any potential genetic disorders.

Fur Quality

Fur quality is a big determining factor in the overall appeal of a chinchilla.
There are many different aspects of the fur that are graded. A great glossary
of terms used to grade chinchilla fur is located here.

Color should be true to the color of the chinchilla, known as clarity,
or a distinct shade of the desired color. Ebonies and beiges in particular
tend to have a red cast to them - this is not desireable. You want a blue
cast to any chinchilla. (There is no true blue in the fur itself, but the
tones of the fur can blend and create a blue hue under show lights.) The
fur should also appear bright, rather than dull.

Density defines the thickness of the fur. Thick fur is what is looked for
on the show table. More hairs in a given area create a higher density. A
degree of this is fixed at birth via the follicle number, but the number
of hairs per follicle can depend upon environmental as well as genetic factors.
You can demonstrate density by gently blowing into the fur; the less skin
you see, the better. You can also see into the fur from above on an animal
with less density. This is especially noticeable when compared to an animal
with excellent density.

Fur pattern means the flow of the fur - you want a nice even flow, creating
a finished appearance. The fur should all be the same length with no disturbance
of flow. This is greatly visible when an animal is in prime or its best
condition. Priming is a shedding cycle that chinchillas go through to replace
old fur with new. 'Prime' occurs at the end of a full cycle, which takes
about 13 weeks.

Texture describes the coarseness of the individual hairs on the chinchilla.
Good texture creates an overall appearance of silkiness. A 'wooly' appearance
would be the opposite.

Length should be the same all over the chinchilla, between 3/4 and 1 1/4
inches long. Fur that is too long tends to lay down, while fur that is too
short tends to not give as full of an appearance to the chinchilla.

Veiling refers to the tips of the hairs on a chinchilla. Dark tips create
an overall veil, which you want to appear even from head to butt. Weakness
of the veil in the neck is often seen and not desireable. You want a nice
uniform veil all over the top of the chinchilla. This veiling is especially
evident on a black velvet chinchilla. Keep in mind that great veiling can
look off when a chinchilla is out of prime.

Fur strength is defined as the ability to go back into place after being
disturbed. We want the fur to stand up as much as possible, rather than
lie down. Longer fur can have the tendency to lay down, especially on the
hips and rump. You want to avoid this lay down appearance. You can test
fur strength by gently blowing into the fur. Strong fur will quickly snap
right back into place.

Body

Conformation refers to the shape of the chinchilla. Put simply, you want
a rectangle for a chin when viewed from the top. A large, rounded head with
a wide neck and shoulder area is most desireable. The neck should have no
visible dip, but instead appear as a straight or better yet, raised line
when viewed from the side.

Size is greatly looked at on the show table, which stems back to the pelting
industry. A bigger pelt means a higher profit. A chinchilla should be good
sized, but not overly sized. Large animals are said to be slower breeders,
while small animals are not wanted in a breeding herd. It's a delicate balance.